What was the difference between ancient Hebrew and ancient Egyptian beliefs?

Answer 1

A:

Lang, cited in English by Keel and Uehlinger (Gods, Goddesses and Images of God in Ancient Israel), says

"In the four and a half centuries during which there were one or two Israelite monarchies (ca. 1020-586 B.C.), there was a dominant, polytheistic religion that was indistinguishable from that of neighboring peoples. Insofar as there were differences between the Ammonite, Moabite, Edomite, Tyrian, etc. versions of religion, these beliefs stayed within the framework of Near Eastern polytheism, and each should be interpreted as a local variant of the same basic pattern. The Israelites . . . venerated their own protector god who was there to provide for health and family. But they venerated Yahweh [God] as well, the regional and national god, whose special domain dealt with war and peace issues. Finally, they worshiped gods who performed specific functions, those that were responsible for various special needs: weather, rain, women's fertility, etc."

The one major difference between the Hebrew religion and other western Semitic religions, during the period in which there were the two nations of Israel and Judah, was the introduction of a new God, Yahweh (biblical Hebrew: YHWH). Yahweh has been identified with the Midianite storm god, YHW, of whom there is evidence in the Egyptian records. Some scholars note the importance of Midian in the story of Moses and say that this story is probably in some way connected with the origins of Hebrew introduction of Yahweh.

In later centuries, after the destruction of Israel, the religion of Judah became monolatrous and the use of icons, images and idols ceased. After the Babylonian Exile, the Jews believed that only one God existed, a belief only shared at that time by the Persian worshippers of Ahura Mazda.

Jewish Answer:

Jews have always worshiped the One God. God wrecked the Egyptian idols (Exodus 12:12) and warned against idolatry (Exodus 22:19). Abraham worshiped "the Lord God of Heaven and Earth" (Genesis 14:22 and 24:3) and complained about the Philistines' lack of fear of God (Genesis 20:11). Jacob confiscated the idolatrous images taken from Shechem (Genesis 35:2) and got rid of them (Genesis 35:4); and refrained from invoking the gods of Nahor (Genesis 31:53). Rachel pilfered Laban's statue-images (Genesis 31:19) in order to prevent him from idolatry (Rashi commentary, ibid.). Joseph placed his hope in the God of the Forefathers (Genesis 50:24). Moses characterized the Golden Calf as "a great sin" (Exodus 32:21, 30) and punished the worshipers (Exodus ch.32). During the rest of his lifetime and that of Joshua (Judges 2:7), no incidents of Jewish idolatry were reported.
Shortly before he died, Moses warned the people that he suspected that they would eventually succumb to the lure of the idols (Deuteronomy 29:17). Joshua gave a similar warning (Joshua ch. 24).
These warnings came true. Many of the Israelites went astray after the foreign gods (Judges 2:11). However, the Jews never invented their own idol. It was always the baneful influence of other peoples. And there were times when the entire Jewish nation repented (Judges 2:1-4) and prayed to God (Judges 3:9, 3:15, 6:6, 10:10).
Because of the idol-worship that did happen, images of idols have been found in Israel too. Images of God aren't found because it is forbidden to represent Him through imagery (Deuteronomy 4:15-16).
It should be noted that idolatry was never universal among the Jews. The tradition of the One God was handed down in every generation, whether by the few or the many; and it is those who handed down the tradition whose beliefs we Jews continue today. Deborah ascribed victory to God (Judges 4:14), Gideon tore down the idolatrous altar (Judges 6:25-27);Samson prayed to God (Judges 16:28), as did Hannah (1 Samuel 1:11) and Samuel (ibid. 12:18); Eli blessed in the name of God (1 Samuel 2:20), Saul built an altar to God (1 Samuel 14:35); Jonathan ascribed victory to God (1 Samuel 14:12), as did David (1 Samuel 17:46); and Solomon built the Temple for God (1 Kings 8:20). A number of the kings "did what was right in God's eyes": Asa (1 Kings 15:11), Yehoshaphat (1 Kings 22:43), Yehoash (2 Kings 12:3), Amatziah (2 Kings 14:3), Azariah (2 Kings 15:3), Yotam (2 Kings 15:34), Hizkiah (2 Kings 18:3), and Josiah (2 Kings 22:2). Even at the height of the unfortunate spread of idolatry among the less-loyal Ten Tribes, there were thousands who remained loyal to God (1 Kings 19:18).
And, of course, the Prophets, who spoke in the name of God and warned against idolatry: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Hosea and so on.
The sages of the Talmud, who ridiculed idolatry (Megillah 25b), were simply continuing in the tradition of the Prophets whose verses are quoted in that context (ibid.).

Answer 2

The early Hebrew beliefs were much more like those of their West Semitic neighbours and the Mesopotamian religions. Many of the gods worshipped by the earlier Israelites were also gods of the Palestinian and Syrian regions, while the story of the biblical Flood shows clear parallels to the earlier Flood story in the Epic of Gilgamesh.

There are some hints of Egyptian influence. For example, the Egyptians had an ancient folk story of seven lean years followed by good harvests, which is arguably reflected in the story of Joseph; on the other hand, the story of the seven lean years could equally have been influenced by the Epic of Gilgamesh. The story of Joshua, son of Nun, could also have been influenced by the Egyptians, but most of the religious content is local.

While some beliefs are almost universal, the early Egyptian beliefs were largely unique to Egypt, much of it revolving around the Nile River. The Egyptian concept of syncretism, in which a god could take on features of another god, thus for example Amon-Ra, had no corresponding feature in Hebrew religion.

In later times, the kingdom of Judah adopted monotheism, a concept that had also been attempted in Egypt, but without success.